Sewer and pipe cleaner



March 31, 1942. H. M. SMITH 'SEWER AND PIPE CLEANER Filed May s, 1939 mi*my 9% All INV ENTOR, M z zlz BY Henry M IINPM.

Patented Mar. 31, 1942 U ETE SEWER AND Preis CLEANER Henry M. Smith, LosNietos, Calif., assigner of one-half to William D. Osborn, Los Angeles,

Calif.

Application May 3, 1939, Serial No. 271,488

3 Claims.

My invention relates to an apparatus particularly designed for cleaningaccumulations from sewers, pipes and like conduits, and has for itsprincipal object the provision of a relatively simple, practical andinexpensive apparatus that includes a plurality of expanding cutterswhich, as the device is drawn through the sewer or pipe by means of acable or otherwise, will cut and plow through accumulations that tend toclog the flow of liquid through the sewer or pipe, thus cutting andloosening the accumulations to such an extent as to enable the same tobe readily ushed out of the pipe or duct with a flow of Water from ahose or other jet directing means.

It will be understood that sewer pipes frequently become clogged withaccumulations such as sand, dirt, dead leaves and the like, and further,that where the sewer passes beneath trees and shrubs, the roots thereoffrequently enter the joints of the sewer pipe, naturally attracted bythe moisture in said pipe, and these roots grow to such size as tomaterially diminish, and in some instances, to entirely cut off flow ofthe liquid through the sewer.

A further object `of my invention is, to provide a sewer and pipecleaning apparatus of the character referred to that is capable ofexpanding radially, thus enabling the tool or appliance to be utilizedin sewers or pipe lines of different diameters.

A further object of my invention is, to provide a sewer and pipecleaning device having parts that have their front and rear ends oredges sharpened in order to more readily plow and cut through theaccumulations as the tool is drawn forward or rearward Within the seweror pipe line by the cables that are attached to the ends of theimplement.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, my invention consists incertain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts thatwill be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated inthe accompanying drawing in which: n

Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken lengthwise through the center of asewer and pipe cleaning implement constructed in accordance with myinvention and showing the same positioned within a sewer or pipe line.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the implement and showing the cuttersthereof in contracted position.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views of links utilized between the mainbody of the appliance and the combined plows and cutters.

Fig. 6 is a view looking against the inside of one of the combined plowsand cutters.

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of one of the combined plows and cutters.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing, Iil designates ametal rod, on the for- Ward end of which is detachably mounted an eye II and a similar eye I2 is detachably mounted on the rear end of saidrod. These eyes provide points of attachments for cables C or flexiblerods that are utilized for drawing the tool through a sewer or otherconduit.

Formed integral with or fixed to rod I0 adjacent its rear end is acollar I3. Mounted to slide freely upon rod I0 between the forward eyeII and collar I3 is a sleeve I4, the forward end of which is countersunkas designated by I5 and, formed on the intermediate portion of saidsleeve is an external thread I6. Formed integral With the forwardportion of sleeve I4 is a plurality of longitudinally extending radiallydisposed pairs of ears or flanges I4a.

Loosely mounted upon and enclosing the rear portion of sleeve I4 is atubular housing I'I', the forward end of which carries an integraloutwardly projecting flange I8 and, formed integral with the rear end ofthis tubular housing is an inwardly presented flange I9 that surroundsthe rod II) and occupies a position between flange or collar I3 and theinner end of eye I2.

Screw seated on the threaded portion I6 of sleeve I4 is a nut 20 thatprovides an adjustable shoulder or abutment that is adapted to beengaged by the ilange I8 on the forward end of tubular housing II.Loosely mounted on the forward portion of `housing II directly to therear of the flange I8 is a collar 2l and, formed integral with theperiphery thereof is a plurality of radially disposed pairs of ears 22that correspond in number and arrangement with the pairs'of ears Illa onthe forward portion of sleeve I4. The intermediate portion of housingI'I is externally threaded as designated by 23 and, screw seated on saidthreaded portion is a nut 24.

Interposed between the rear end of collar 2I and nut 24 is a fairlyheavy spring 25 having a considerable degree of resistance tocompression strains. The nut 24 being screw seated on the housing I'Iprovides means for adjusting the tension of spring 25. l I

The cutters or plows that are designed/to pass through the accumulationsin a sewer or pipek adjacent its inner periphery are formed of hardmetal, such as steel, and each cutter is in the form of a plate having aforward portion 26 and a rear portion 21, which portions are offsetlaterally with respect to each other and connected by a neck portion 28.

The offset portions 26 and 21, which are practically identical in size,are substantially square and, formed integral with the under side ofeach plate and extending longitudinally thereof across the neck 26 is apair of parallel flanges 29, both ends thereof being inclined from theouter ends of the plates 26 and 21 toward their connected ends.

The outer ends of the members 26 are beveled to form cutting edges 36and the outer or rear ends of the members 21 are correspondingly beveledto form cutting edges 3 I.

Formed integral with the central portion of the outer or forward end ofeach plate 26, is a short finger 32 that curves inwardly toward itsouter end, thus tending to cause the cutter or plow to more readily passthe joints between the pipe sections, particularly if the end of onepipe section is slightly offset with respect to the end of the adjacentsection.

Pivotally connected to pins or bolts 33 that pass through the forwardportions of the flanges I4a are the inner ends of links 34 and, theouter ends of said links are pivotally connected to pins or bolts 35that pass through the forward portions of the ribs 29 on the cutters orplows comprising the connected plates 26 and 21. Similar links 36pivotally connect the rear portions of the flanges I4al with the rearportions of the flanges 29 and the forward or outer edges of all of thelinks 34 and 36 are beveled and sharpened to form cutting edges 31.

Links 33 are arranged between and pivotally connected to the rear endsof the pairs of anges 29 and the respective pairs of ears or flanges 22on collar 2|. Both side edges of each link 38 are beveled and sharpenedto form cutting edges 39.

The links 34, 36 and 36 are clearly illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 and theconstruction of the cutters or plows comprising the offset plates 26 and21 is illustrated in Figs. 6 and '1.

Occupying the countersunk recess I in the forward end of sleeve I4 andbearing against the shoulder at the inner end of said recess is theinner end of an expansive coil spring 40, the forward end of which bearsagainst the inner end of eye I I. The size and tension of this spring 40is somewhat less than the size and tension of spring25.

In the use of my improved cleaning out tool, a sectional rod is run fromone manhole to another through the pipe that connects said manholes, andwhich is to be cleaned, and, by means of said rod the cable C that isconnected to eye I I is drawn through the pipe. By means of suitablepower, for instance, a winch, the cable is drawn through the pipe andthe pull on said cable is transmitted directly to the rod Ill and fromsaid rod through eye I2 to the rear end of sleeve I1. From said sleeveI1 the pulling strains are transmitted through nut 24 and heavy coilspring 25 to collar 2I, to maintain the same against the flange I8 andthe latter bearing against nut 20 transmits the pulling strains tosleeve I4 so that during the travel of the tool therod I0, sleeve I4 andhousing I1 move together practically as one piece.

Under such conditions and due to the pulling strains impressed on the collar 2 I, the ends of the links 38 that are connected to the plows orcutters swing outwardly and thus, said cutters or plows are maintainedin position adjacent the inner periphery of the pipe through which thetool is being drawn.

The cutters or plows pass through the accumulations in the pipe andpractically scrape the in-v ner surface thereof, thereby cutting up andloosening the accumulations to such an extent as to permit their beingsubsequently flushed out of the pipe by the introduction of water underpressure thereinto.

Inasmuch as the forward ends of the cutters are sharpened and likewisethe forward edges of links 34 and 36 are sharpened, the resistance tothe forward movement of the tool through the pipe is materiallydecreased and said cutting edges are effective in cutting olf any rootsthat may have entered and grown to considerable size within the pipe.

In the event that the forward ends of the cutters encounter any offsetsin the joints between the pipe sections, the curved ngers 32 thatproject from the forward ends of the cutters will engage such offsetsand thereby enable the tool to readily pass same.

Spring 40 arranged between eye II and the forward portion of housing I1is effective in tending to open or expand the plows or cutters and tomaintain the same in expanded positions while the device is being drawnthrough the sewer and the accumulations therein.

In the event that the plows or cutters engage a fixed body ofaccumulations within the sewer pipe or against an olf-set or shoulderthat will not permit the tool to pass in its expanded condition, thenthe 'continued pull on the cable will cause rod I6, sleeve I4, andhousing I1 to be drawn forwardly through collar 2I with the result thatheavy coil spring 25 will be compressed between the collar 2l and nut24. As a result of this action, the anges 14a on sleeve I4 moveforwardly with said sleeve so as to draw the lower ends ofthe links 36forward while the lower ends t of the links 38 remain stationary oncollar 2I and as a result, the plows or cutters automatically moveinwardly toward the axis of the tool, which in nearly all instancesenables the tool to be drawn past the shoulder or projection on theinterior of the pipe that is being cleaned.

When it becomes necessary to collapse the tool so as to enable the sameto be readily drawn rearwardly through the sewer, pulling strains areimpressed on the cable that is connected to eye I2, thereby impartingrearward pulling strains on rod I0 so that collar I3 bears against theflange 9 on the rear end of housing I1 and pulls the latter rearwardlyaway from the nut 20 so that ilange I8 pulls collar 2l rearwardly, thuscausing the links 38 to swing inward toward the axis of the tool andcorrespondingly swinging links 34 and 36 inwardly, thereby moving theplows or cutters into compact arrangement as illustrated in Fig. 2. Thusthe overall diameter of the tool is materially decreased and said toolmay be readily drawn rearwardly in the sewer while in such collapsedcondition.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a sewer cleaning apparatusthat is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufactureand very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form andconstruction of the various parts of my improved sewer and pipe cleaner,

may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described,without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which issetv forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a sewer and conduit cleaning device, an elongated body, a housingslidable with respect thereto, a collar slidable upon said housing, aplurality of cutter members radially disposed about the body, linkspivotally connecting said cutter members at each end with said body andcollar respectively, relatively strong spring means interposed betweensaid housing and collar, arranged and adapted to oppose movement of saidcollar in a direction eiecting a collapse of the cutters, abutment meanson the housing engaging said collar, axially adjustable abutment meanson the body and engaging said housing to limit the radial movement ofthe cutters, cable means operatively connected to said housing forpulling the latter through a pipe being cleaned in a direction tendingto expand the cutters, additional cable means extending in the oppositedirection and operatively connected to said housing to cause axialmovement of said housing in a direction to collapse the cutters and arelatively weak spring interposed between said body and said housing andnormally tending to prevent the latter movement of said housing.

2. A sewer and conduit'cleaning device as set forth in claim 1, with theend portions of said cutter members offset circumferentially withrespect to each other, one end of each cutter member being sharpened toprovide a transversely disposed cutting edge and inwardly curved iingersprojecting from said cutter members at the other ends thereof.

3. In a sewer and conduit cleaning device, a combined guide and cuttermember comprising a plate having offset end portions that are curvedtransversely on the same radius, one end of said plate being sharpenedto provide a transversely disposed cutting edge and a curved ngerprojecting downwardly from the opposite end of said plate.

' HENRY M. SMITH.

